Kirsty Hamilton and husband Derek at the finish line of the Glasgow Half Marathon

Share

Get daily updates directly to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email

AN Airdrie slimmer has topped off conquering her battle of the bulge by completing her first charity half marathon.

Mum-of-two Kirsty Hamilton is half the woman she once was and, to mark her success, she last month took part in the Glasgow race along with husband, Derek, raising more than £2000 for the Scottish Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals.

In just 15 months social worker Kirsty has lost more than eight stone, to reach a svelte size 12, allowing her to achieve a long-held ambition in the process.

Kirsty Hamilton has lost eight stone

The inspirational 44-year-old kick-started her lifestyle change in January 2015 – after she was unable to complete a single lap of the local running track with her 13-year-old son, Luke.

Kirsty told the Advertiser: “Luke was going for trials with the performance school of football.

“I tried to run on the track and didn’t make it half way. I felt embarrassed and ashamed and decided to do something about it.”

Kirsty’s epiphany gave her the momentum to sign up to a punishing regime of daily fitness classes at Rawyards gym, where she worked her socks off to reach her target weight.

She explained: “I didn’t go to any slimming clubs. I decided to do it on my own and followed a healthy eating plan and started exercising.

“I set a target to lose at least seven stone and promised myself that, if I achieved my target, I would sign up to take part in a charity run.

“I joined a gym and started exercising gently at first with some light walking and running on the treadmill and gradually built it up from there.

“I also went to zumba and body balance classes.

“I now love exercising and continue to go to the gym regularly and devise my own circuits.”